Obituaries for the day of November 16, 2009

Michael Thomas Puckett, 50, of Cove, died Nov. 11 at Grande Ronde Hospital. A private family burial was held at the Cove Cemetery. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center is in charge of arrangements.

Michael was born Dec. 10, 1958, to Robert “Iron” and Sue (Harvey) Puckett in Portland. He graduated from high school in Portland and then moved to La Grande. He worked as a store clerk for Albertson’s and Safeway for 30 years. He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his parents of Portland; son, Jason Puckett of Gresham; daughters, Lindsey Hibbert of La Grande and Makenna Cox of Elgin; one grandchild; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his brother, Kevin Puckett; and his grandparents.

Memorial contributions may be made to any local food bank in care of Daniels-Knopp,

1502 Seventh St. in La Grande.

Orland Oscar Rudd, 71, of Cove, died Nov 12 at St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla.

Services will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Loveland Chapel.

Burial will be at Hillcrest Cemetery in La Grande. A luncheon will follow at the Methodist Church in Cove.

He was born Oct. 4, 1938, to Lewis Oscar Rudd and Marie Elizabeth Haggerty Rudd in Ontario. In 1942 the family moved to La Grande where Orland grew up and went to school. He graduated in 1957 from La Grande High School and joined the Navy where he served as radarman on the USS Hancock until his enlistment ended in 1961.

In December 1957 he married Mary Ann Evers, and they had two children — Steven Orland born July 6, 1959, and Julie Ann born Feb. 28, 1962. Orland and Mary Ann later divorced. On April 15, 1972, he married Deborah Mickelsen in Reno. They were together 37 years until his death.

He had worked for his father-in-law, Joe Evers, in the family excavation business where he learned to operate heavy equipment. He worked at the Boise Cascade Particle Board Plant in Island City and while employed there launched his own septic tank service with a friend. Later they formed R&W Construction. After his divorce he wanted a change and became a real estate agent. Later he teamed up with a friend and they built several houses together in the La Grande area.

In 1978 his son Steve was killed in a motorcycle crash at the age of 19. It was a tragedy those who knew him say he never recovered from although he continued to live his life successfully. Shortly after Steve’s death he and Deb moved to Salem where they built and sold homes together.

Orland said he was happiest building houses and it was with regret that he was forced to quit when the economic crisis of the early 1980s hit. In 1983 he and Deb bought an Oregonian dealership in Pendleton and they ran it until they retired. They also bought a 50-acre farm in Stanfield and ran a herd of 75 mother cows with a friend. In 2004 Orland wanted to move back home to the mountains so they settled on a small acreage in Cove.

He loved breeding and racing Thoroughbred horses; trapshooting; playing poker; fishing and cutting firewood with his brother Wallace; going for Jeep rides in the mountains with Deb and his two Jack Russells, Rikki and Mitch; and looking at the sunsets in the Grande Ronde Valley. When he won at trapshooting or poker, his family and friends say he probably should have been fined for excessive celebrations, but he was also gracious in defeat.

He is survived by his wife, Deb Rudd of Cove; daughter, Julie Wray of Bend; sisters, Marjorie Birchmier of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Virginia Cassingham of Redding, Calif.; brothers, Wallace and his wife, Marilyn, of Cove, Raymond and his wife, Rita, of Coeur d’Alene, and Jack and his wife, Patty, of La Grande; sister-in-law, Jerry Rudd of La Grande; three grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Marie Rudd; son, Steve; and his brother Lee Rudd.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cove Sportsmen’s Club, Blue Mountain Humane Association or the Cove Methodist Church.

The Observer publishes free obituaries as a community service. Obituaries are edited to fit news guidelines. Photos are encouraged. Paid space is available for families who would like to include more information. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center posts unedited obituaries at www.danielsknopp.com, and Loveland Funeral Chapel & Crematory posts obituaries at www.lovelandfuneralchapel.com.